About Board Certification

No. All Endodontists must be licensed to practice, but at this time only 1 in 5 Endodontists have continued on to complete Board Certification. The American Board of Endodontics (ABE) certification process signifies a unique achievement—a significant step beyond the two to three years of advanced education required for a dentist to become a specialist in Endodontics. The process requires the Endodontist to demonstrate actual accomplishments in patient care with detailed case reports on the treatment provided for a broad range of patient problems. Board certification is a voluntary achievement that all Endodontists do not choose to pursue. In order to become board certified by the ABE, an individual Endodontist is thoroughly interviewed by a highly respected panel of examiners to demonstrate their endodontic knowledge, clinical skills and judgment.

HOW MANY CERTIFYING BOARDS ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION IN THE SPECIALTY OF ENDODONTICS?

One. The American Board of Endodontics (ABE) is the only certifying board in the specialty that is recognized by the American Dental Association. The ABE was founded in 1956 and the board’s purpose is to elevate the quality of endodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education and professional collaboration.

WHY WOULD AN ENDODONTIST CHOOSE TO COMPLETE THIS VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION PROCESS?

Successful completion of the examination process demonstrates the Endodontist’s highest commitment to excellence in Endodontics – to both the endodontic profession and the general public. It represents a commitment by a licensed specialist that he/she has the necessary knowledge base and skills to treat patients to the highest of standards. It exemplifies a practitioner’s commitment to continue to keep abreast of the latest advances in patient care and to continue to deliver these latest advances to patients. Many Endodontists see it as a demonstration of their dedication to the specialty and the highest level of personal achievement.

WHAT STEPS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE ABE CERTIFICATION PROCESS?

Endodontic Board Certification requires a three-part examination. The process involves a one day Written Examination that tested a broad range of fields including anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, immunology, microbiology, radiology, statistics, clinical endodontics and related disciplines. Successful completion of this “board exam” allows the Endodontist to proceed to the “Case History Examination” where they present diverse and complex case reports from their practice, demonstrating an exceptional knowledge, skills, and expertise in the full scope of the field endodontics.

The final phase of the Board Certification is an oral exam, where a team of experts questioned the endodontist about a variety of diagnosis and treatment situations. Throughout the extensive interview, the endodontist demonstrated a high level of skill in problem solving, decision making, analysis, creativity, and evaluation.